Nucleation and Crystal Growth of Hemoglobins: The Case of HbC

Hemoglobin (Hb) crystallization is of significance both in vivo and in vitro. Hb crystals form in red blood cells (RBCs), as occurs in the case of patients expressing β^C -globin (β6 Glu→Lys). In vitro, high-resolution structural determination by crystallographic methods requires the growth of Hb crystals to approx ∼1 mm in diameter, which may be induced by a variety of precipitants.